Is Variation in Quality of Mammographic Services Race Linked?

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to (1) determine whether there was variability in the quality of services offered in mammography facilities across Connecticut and (2) determine whether African American women were more likely than white women to receive mammograms in facilities that offered substandard services. Since most facilities do not routinely record information on race, this investigation represents a unique opportunity to address the question of race-linked variation in the quality of screening mammography. Information on equipment, personnel, and record keeping in mammography facilities was used to construct indices that represented separate domains of quality: technical attributes, educational practices, and tracking of clients. While some variation in the quality of mammography services was found, there were no significant differences between the two race categories in the mean scores for each of three quality indices. Thus, variation in quality of screening mammographic services does not appear to be race linked.